That's what a man wants in a wife, mostly; he wants to make sure one fool tells him he's wise.

Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face.

Death is the only physician, the shadow of his valley the only journeying that will cure us of age and the gathering fatigue of years.

Art is the nearest thing to life; it is a mode of amplifying experience and extending our contact with our fellow men beyond the bounds of our personal lot.

There is a sort of human paste that when it comes near the fire of enthusiasm is only baked into harder shape.

What a different result one gets by changing the metaphor!

But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable; and we all know the difficulty of carrying out a resolve when we secretly long that it may turn out to be unnecessary. In such states of mind the most incredulous person has a private leaning towards miracle: impossible to conceive how our wish could be fulfilled, still - very wonderful things have happened!